Pros & Cons
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- Stylish design
- Excellent typing feel
- Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connection options
- Much cheaper than Apple Magic Keyboard
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- Low-profile design is not for everyone
- No customization software
Satechi SM3 Slim Mechanical Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard Specs
| Dedicated Shortcut Keys | |
| Interface | 2.4 GHz Wireless |
| Interface | Bluetooth |
| Interface | USB-C |
| Key Backlighting | Single-Color |
| Key Switch Type | Low Profile Brown Switches |
| Media Controls | Shared With Other Keys |
| N-Key Rollover Support | |
| Number of Keys | 108 |
| Palm Rest | None |
| Passthrough Ports | None |
The Satechi SM1 Slim Mechanical Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard is one of our favorite keyboards released last year. It's compact, it's got multiple wireless connectivity options, and it delivers long battery life: Add it all up and you've got an essential productivity tool and an easy recommendation for those who want an alternative to the number-pad-less version of Apple’s Magic Keyboard. The Satechi model I'm looking at here—the SM3 Slim Mechanical Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard ($119)—maintains much of what makes the SM1 great in a full-size keyboard with a number pad. It more than lives up to Satechi’s reputation for stylish, top-notch Mac keyboards (which work well on Windows PCs, too!) and earns an Editors’ Choice award for the best aftermarket Mac keyboard of the moment.
Design: How It Shapes Up Against the Apple Magic Keyboard
I'm not a fan of Apple's Magic Keyboard. Whenever I have to use an iMac, I look for an alternative right away. So, if you're anything like me, the first question on your mind is, what makes this Satechi model so much better than Apple's offering?
One of the biggest differences: The SM3 is a mechanical keyboard, while the Magic Keyboard comes equipped with scissor switches. I don't prefer so much as I need the tactile feedback of a mechanical keyboard when typing all day. Yes, this type of design can be much noisier than a scissor-switch model, but the SM3 maintains a low sound profile, making it ideal for typing away in crowded offices and shared spaces.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)The keyboard uses low-profile Brown key switches, which offer a 1.4mm actuation point, 2.6mm of travel distance, and an operating force of 50g, giving each keystroke a comfortable weight while not introducing unwelcome mechanical chatter. Translucent lettering allows the keyboard backlight to shine through the keycaps, boosting visibility in low-light settings and adding to the board’s clean aesthetic.
The key switches are not hot-swappable, but you can easily change out the keycaps to match your operating system of choice. The keyboard comes Mac-ready, with Option and Command keys already in place, but I swapped them out for the included Windows equivalent. The operation is quick and painless, so even the least handy users should have no issues. You simply lift the macOS keycaps straight up and push the Windows keycaps down into place; no tools are required.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Looking at the overall design, the SM3 measures 4.7 by 16.9 by 0.6 inches (HWD) and weighs 1.4 pounds. If you're looking for slender, the SM3 isn't the smallest on the market. It's more petite than the Logitech MX Keys S for Mac, but the full-size Apple Magic Keyboard delivers a slimmer and lighter package.
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Ordinarily, low-profile keyboards aren't my cup of tea. (I prefer the heft and height of bulkier models like the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%.) Still, switching to the SM3 was a snap, and the full-size keyboard took up little real estate on my desktop or in my book bag. You can get the device in a sleek white-and-gray color scheme or an equally sharp black-and-dark gray.
Connectivity Options: Two Kinds of Wireless
A quick tour around the keyboard reveals a power switch beside a USB-C port (a USB-C-to-C cord is included) on the back edge of the board. On the underside, two feet offer slight elevation—though I would prefer it if Satechi included a wrist rest in a future version—and a small indentation houses the 2.4GHz USB receiver for wireless connections. Mac users take note: The receiver has a USB-A connection, which means you'll be using Bluetooth for wireless connections to current Apple models unless you have a dock or an adapter for USB-C to USB-A.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Like the SM1, the SM3 supports Bluetooth 5.0 and can be paired with up to four devices at once. However, wireless connections are not instantaneous. You must hold the Fn button along with the corresponding function key to select your preferred connection. Switching between Mac and Windows modes works almost the same way, with the two options marked on the “O” and “P” keys. The keyboard also supports iPadOS and iOS layouts.
Features: No Software, All Keys
The SM3 has no dedicated software to download, so if you want to go all-in on customizable shortcuts and macros, you’re better off with the Logitech MX Keys S and its excellent Logitech Options+ software. You won't find biometric options on the SM3, either (a drawback if you use Touch ID) or a Microsoft Copilot button (even though Mac users would ignore it).
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Even without a Satechi software utility, you’ll find plenty of customization options, including shortcut keys that work across operating systems and a full function-key row. You can use the shortcut keys to choose among 14 different backlight patterns and three brightness levels to add some variety to your setup.
Satechi doesn’t list how long it expects the 2,500mAh internal battery to last on a charge. To get some idea of the lifespan, compare the SM3 to the SM1: Satechi says the earlier model without backlighting can last up to two months on one charge. With lights on, that number shrinks to a rated 16.5 hours. The SM3's battery didn’t die while I tested it—that said, I mainly used it wired to my laptop—but I'd expect its battery-life numbers to be similar to the SM1's, so you'll need to charge much more frequently if you use the backlighting.
Final Thoughts
Satechi SM3 Slim Mechanical Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard
The Satechi SM3 Slim is almost everything a wireless mechanical productivity keyboard should be. It continues Satechi's streak of providing an excellent typing experience for both Macs and PCs.